2 hours ago, Deeoldfart said:

I've said it before and I'll repeat it here.......... I love seeing Fritta in the lead group with ANB and TMac.  Taking an outstanding debut season to a new level ............ ?

He will be a special player.  Remember how dangerous he looked up forward before he ,moved to the wing / floating across half back?  I think he kicked 4 goals in one game earlier in the year.  He can play all over the ground.

@It's Time, it's time you moved to Melbourne and attended more training sessions. Much appreciated mate.

 

Looks like we're not just training the house down...but burning it to the ground .

Out of those ashes ???? The dream we dare ?

I'll not get to a session before '19. Much appreciate the words and images of those that have gone along.

How weird does THIS. feel.

We're the biz....the real thing.

Funny only listening to that Sat night...

4 hours ago, tiers said:

 It doesn't have to be "lace out" just so long as the opposition are put under pressure and forced to defend in our forward line.

Absolutely tiers.

Get it in quick and defenders will panic and induce perceived pressure on themselves. Nothing better than a little KAOS in disrupting CONTROL

Joel Smith looks like an absolute weapon with the build he has now. Combined with his athleticism and improved footy IQ, I’m wondering if he could really blossom next year? Just in the small amount of vision I’ve seen, he looks to have the technical aspects of ball control at a whole new level.

Would put my mind more at ease with Lever’s recovery and the end of Lewis’s career. 

6 hours ago, Demonland said:

Bloody love this.

Bloody love that our supporters and admin's are using some gentle profanity when talking excitedly about our boys chances.

Attitude and daring, goes hand in hand with these same mannerisms. 

 

Dare to WIN.!

Yes, Joel's been the standout performer in the sessions I've been to.

The issue now is where he will play and today he played as a forward - albeit in a limited match simulation drill and with Melky, Trac, VDB and Brayshaw unavailable to take part today and play that role.

And he nailed it in the short drill - only lasted about 15 minutes - mega quick leads, one lovely mark and turn and another hang time spoil of a tall defender about to mark - ball spilled to ANB who goaled.

But he needs game time - he has barely played - not just with us but even before he came with his NBL aspirations.

I had him slated to play a Rampe-type defensive role, but I reckon he will start the season as our third tall up forward behind Weid and T-Mac.

I've altered my Rd 1 line-up - assumes everyone's available except Lever.

B: Jetta  May Hibberd

HB: Fritsch O-Mac Salem

C Jones Oliver Brayshaw

HF: Melky Weid J.Smith

F: ANB T.Mac Trac

Ru: Gawn Harmes Viney

Int: Frost (def), VDB (mid), KK (mid), Spargo (fwd)

 

 

Edited December 10, 20186 yr by Deespicable
spelling error

16 minutes ago, McQueen said:

Joel Smith looks like an absolute weapon with the build he has now. Combined with his athleticism and improved footy IQ, I’m wondering if he could really blossom next year? Just in the small amount of vision I’ve seen, he looks to have the technical aspects of ball control at a whole new level.

Would put my mind more at ease with Lever’s recovery and the end of Lewis’s career. 

He’s too good an athlete not to be given a lot of chances, you don’t want to waste that upside. That said, he trained with the forwards the other day, is that still the go? His agility and repeat speed could be a huge forward pressure  weapon. Also wouldn’t mind seeing him in the ruck for teams that don’t have a proper back up. 

As for down back I think Hore is the immediate 3rd tall cover. Hopefully he’s in full training soon. KK if the wing role doesn’t work. Get Hunt back to his best. Or play Frost and Oscar, use May as a back pocket, slide Hibberd up the ground.

From all reports and my own one session observation both Smith (seniors) and Keilty (Casey for now) will be trialed as forwards (at least initially). With the additions of May (from Round 1) and Lever (whenever he returns) in the backline and the loss of Hogan up forward it makes sense to trial these two.

 

How is Stretch tracking? He finally looked like h3 had hit the mark when he got injured, so I’m wondering where they are looking at him play and how he looks post injury.

Thanks

8 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

How is Stretch tracking? He finally looked like h3 had hit the mark when he got injured, so I’m wondering where they are looking at him play and how he looks post injury.

Thanks

Still in the rehab group so having an interrupted preseason. 

7 hours ago, Demonland said:

Also a reminder to Demonlanders wanting to head down to training that Friday's training is the final session this year and is an Open session as involves giveaways and a visit from Santa.

Date: Friday, 14 December
Session start time: 9.30am
Location: Gosch's Paddock, Olympic Bvd, Melbourne
Details: Join us at our final AFL open training session for 2018! Enjoy a range of fun activities and giveaways around the ground, including a visit from Santa!

This is listed as the final OPEN training session for 2018. Does that mean it is the last session before the Christmas Break or the last Open Session before the Christmas Break?

Why is Melksham in the rehab group? What is he recovering from?

Thanks to all who reported from training today.

How are our other recruits from last year tracking? Baker and Petty.

11 minutes ago, pewpewpew said:

This is listed as the final OPEN training session for 2018. Does that mean it is the last session before the Christmas Break or the last Open Session before the Christmas Break?

When do they come back from holidays in the New Year? Would love to catch a session if possible while back in the Motherland.

9 minutes ago, pewpewpew said:

This is listed as the final OPEN training session for 2018. Does that mean it is the last session before the Christmas Break or the last Open Session before the Christmas Break?

I think the players get 3 weeks over Christmas break now. Whether they take the 3rd week now or in early Jan I'm not sure. My guess is they spend at least part of next week training either in closed sessions at Gosch's or at another more private location or they hold something beginning with c that rhymes with damp.

21 minutes ago, pewpewpew said:

Why is Melksham in the rehab group? What is he recovering from?

might have been scheduled for a light session today, or maybe feeling a little sore.

2 hours ago, McQueen said:

Joel Smith looks like an absolute weapon with the build he has now. Combined with his athleticism and improved footy IQ, I’m wondering if he could really blossom next year? Just in the small amount of vision I’ve seen, he looks to have the technical aspects of ball control at a whole new level.

Would put my mind more at ease with Lever’s recovery and the end of Lewis’s career. 

I have high aspirations for Joel. Can he play the running game on the wing a la Isaac Smith? 

 

2 hours ago, McQueen said:

Joel Smith looks like an absolute weapon with the build he has now. Combined with his athleticism and improved footy IQ, I’m wondering if he could really blossom next year? Just in the small amount of vision I’ve seen, he looks to have the technical aspects of ball control at a whole new level.

Would put my mind more at ease with Lever’s recovery and the end of Lewis’s career. 

Couldn't agree more. Fingers crossed the footy gods smile on him and he gets an injury free crack at it. He is a very impressive looking package with height, strength, speed, solid skills, a bit of his father's aerobatic flare but my feeling is whether he gets it all firing at the right time will make or break him in 2019. 

Thanks to one and all for your training reports but I still can’t help but feel that there are one or two common denominators about all AFL clubs at this time of the year - blue skies and rose coloured glasses.

I’m not getting carried away just yet - especially in light of the number of our key players still in rehab.

Edited December 10, 20186 yr by rumpole

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

Was I the only 1 doing a double take when the new Wagner appeared towards the end? I could've sworn that was our Col Sylvia back from the grave.

7 hours ago, Deeoldfart said:

I'm enjoying your "unexpected" visit to Melbourne as much as you seem to be It's Time.  Many thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks for the compliments everyone. It was great to make a training session and see what the recruits etc look like up close and personal. Not too close and personal though. Age is nasty. I really need those optical sunglasses. Couldn't see what the rehab group were doing on the other side of the ground and like when you know you are old when the Police start looking very young, the new draftees look like babies. They're now younger than my son. Oi!  But all jokes aside the draftees other than Tom Sparrow do look very light and look like they are going to need quite a lot of building up. Toby Bedford was a standout in that bunch and Sparrow looks pretty good. I didn't really see it but apparently Jordan's kick is a real weapon.  Bradtke is a stick. 

7 hours ago, tiers said:

Frosty can be a weapon. The classic 80-100m players who can run away from any opposition and drive the ball long into the forward line.  It doesn't have to be "lace out" just so long as the opposition are put under pressure and forced to defend in our forward line.

Can't kick goals from anywhere else.

If used tactically and strategically at the right times will make a huge difference to the game plan.

Agree. The kicking out drill just shows you they are working on new strategies all the time. I still hold great hopes that Frosty will come good by fixing the brain fades. He's a special package of height, strength, agility and speed. 

5 hours ago, DSP said:

Garlett looks much trimmer.

Garlett looks much happier. Looked like he was enjoying himself which is the main sign I reckon we want to see from him. 

7 hours ago, Deeoldfart said:

I've said it before and I'll repeat it here.......... I love seeing Fritta in the lead group with ANB and TMac.  Taking an outstanding debut season to a new level ............ ?

He just oozes class. If you marked a virtual cross in front of a player and said drop a ball right there with just the right amount of force, he'd hit the spot every time. Can't help but think that silky delivery is best used entering 50m. He's such a born footballer, knows how to read a game so well and such natural talent. He looks like he's never going to build into a big bodied player but you can see a lot more muscle definition already. There's been many great players over the years who are no bigger than him. 

1 hour ago, raDeelaide said:

Thanks to all who reported from training today.

How are our other recruits from last year tracking? Baker and Petty.

Baker has bulked up a lot. Still just running laps while he gets the conditioning after doing those hammies at the end of the season.

Petty is another that oozes class. Silky skills. Good pace for his build. Was holding his own in the 150m running drills. Apparently regarded very highly internally. Not quite sure how things will end up for him with May, Lever, O Mac, Frost, J Smith, Keilty, etc etc. Smith will play a different role. Maybe he'll end up being better than O Mac and Frost. Otherwise not sure. same for Keilty. 

Jeez May is a good package. On top of everything we now about him as an elite full back his skills are elite and he has really good agility and pace for his size. He's one of the most significant pickups we've had. I guess because he's a backman and not a midfielder or key forward his move to us didn't get the same amount of coverage as others but he's a significant pickup. 

 

Had a good chat to Charlie Spargo at the end. He said he didn't expect to play so many games and to walk straight in and play finals after the teams been out of them for so long. 

I told him I read about him throwing up in the last session. He said some do some don't and he seems to be one that does. I gave him my secret tip on how to stop throwing up in intense exertion as I used to do it all the time bike riding at the top of hills. He liked it and said he's going to try it. So when he starts blitzing next year, you'll all secretly know why.